Big Brother's Duties
by Suffering Angel
Summary: It's one thing being beat up for being who and what you are. It's another thing when someone you care for gets the same treatment just for speaking up for you.


I don't own YA.

Warning for mentioned bullying and wounds.

Time-frame wise, this is after the first series' Special where we find out about all their background stories and Billy and Teddy out themselves as a super-hero couple, but before Billy's family finds out about them being super-heroes.

* * *

**_Big Brother's Duties_**

"We're home!" Billy called out as he walked into the house. He was greeted by a rather deafening silence which made him blink before looking curiously over his shoulder. Teddy looked back and seemed just as lost, but closed the door behind him all the same.

"This is rare." Billy muttered and scratched the back of his neck. "Mom and dad I kind of get, but even the runts are gone..."

"Maybe they're at a friend's place?" Teddy suggested, but the look in his eyes was quickly moving from distant curiosity to a certain heated kind of interest.

"Both of them?" The mage countered and sounded slightly worried, at least until he noticed the look in Teddy's eyes. His cheeks painted as a result and he let Teddy pull his bag off his shoulder.

"Coincidences happen. But how about you stop frowning for five minutes... and we can enjoy the fact we have the place to ourselves?"  
His hands were planted on Billy's shoulders the next moment. Billy growled at first, but visibly relaxed before long.

"Fine. I'll send them a text message, see where they are."

"Now that sounds like a plan." Teddy praised in a purr and leaned forward to kiss Billy's cheek.  
"And once you do that... put the phone away."

Time passed and the two were still on their lonesome. Teddy seemed content with this, and Billy seemed calm, satisfied with his brothers' responses. One was at a friend's place, and the other stayed late at school for some reason. Educated younger siblings - what else would they come up with?  
It was when Teddy was beginning to crave skinship again that their solitude was broken. They heard the front door open and close, and Teddy managed to glance at Billy over their noses before Billy pecked him on the lips and pulled away with an apologetic look.

"I need to at least check up on him."

"I both hate you and love you more when you're this paternal." Teddy growled but let go, even if reluctantly.

"That's both sweet and... not." Billy laughed and kissed the tip of Teddy's nose. "Don't worry, I won't be gone long." He reassured and left the room.  
By the time Billy did so, his brother was already in his room, though the door wasn't fully closed. Still Billy knocked and refrained from going inside.

"Aaron?" He asked and tried to listen. "You ok in there?"  
There was no response, just a choked sound Billy thought he recognized. His earlier worry was rekindled, worse than before.  
"You alive?" He tried, only to once again be denied an answer. Billy licked his lips and reached for the handle.  
"I'm coming in." The older brother informed and pushed the door open.

Aaron's bag was left discarded by the entrance, and it took Billy a moment to find his brother curled on the bed, lying on his side with his back to the rest of the room. Ah, yes, this bode well.  
"There you are." Billy muttered and slightly squinted his eyes. He tried to sound casual and maybe even aloof, but it got him little more than the hunching of the shoulders.  
Right, someone obviously wasn't in the mood to talk. Billy figured he could still work with that.

"Was kind of surprised you stayed late. You're not the studious type-"

"Shut up." Came the weak, muffled reply that was obviously forced. Billy nodded weakly before scratching his cheek.

"So, uh. You wanna tell me what's up?" He tried again, and slowly proceeded across the room opposite to the bed.

"What makes you think anything is up?" Aaron berated and curled up on himself.  
Billy stopped pacing and stared at his brother's back before pursing his lips.

"Because if there wasn't, you'd have faced me by now and told me properly to get out of your room."  
The boy on the bed hunched his shoulders further. Billy sighed.  
"That, and I know the pattern." He added softly and leaned with his shoulder against the closet's door. Yes, if there was one thing Billy had experience with, it was coming back home in such states where he didn't want anyone to see him or pry. He just hoped he was wrong about the cause, but didn't quite feel it in his gut.  
"How about I put it like this-" He said, taking on a different approach. "You're going to have to spill the beans either way. The question is - to me, or to mom and dad."

Aaron curled up farther in what seemed to be a scared manner. Yeah, Billy didn't like the sound of that, either. In part because their parents were so good and understanding.  
The boy on the bed remained unmoving and Billy shook his head. There was no point in staying if the kid wasn't talking.

"Ok, gotcha. I'll be out there if you need anything..."  
He didn't manage to finish the sentence before he heard rustling and looked back to find Aaron sitting up on his bed, and every last one of Billy's fears came true. The younger teen was a mess, and refused to meet Billy's gaze. He was sporting a black eye and several bruises Billy could see where the skin was bare. Dried blood trailed down from his nose over his lips. Billy's fists clenched - it was a look he wore often not that long ago himself.  
For a long moment neither spoke or even moved until finally Aaron turned his head away.

"I fell-"

"The hell you did." Billy hissed, his sight going red for a moment. This was not an accident. No way in hell. But he forced himself to calm down, knowing well anger wouldn't help, and would only make Aaron feel worse.  
"...sorry" He muttered and covered his mouth with a hand. "It's not your fault."

"How do you know that?" Aaron asked bitterly.

"Because I know bullies and I know you." Billy answered calmly yet assertively. His demeanor and voice both softened the next moment, though.  
"Can I sit down next to you?"

A moment of hesitation followed before Aaron nodded and moved to make Billy space next to him. Billy took the offer and sat down, but kept a bit of a safe distance. He didn't push him, didn't coax him, simply waited until the boy seemed ready to talk. Only then did he give him a push.

"What happened?"

Aaron hesitated for a moment before shrugging.  
"What does it look like?"

"Not like you tripped." Billy stated plainly. "Maybe pushed, but not like you fell on your own."

Another moment passed and Aaron nodded. "Something like that."

Billy's eyes narrowed. "Who? ...why?"

"...a couple of guys from class." Aaron muttered and moved from refusing to look at Billy to actively looking away. "And I... I guess because ofyou?"

Billy's eyes widened. He managed to come up with any number of conspiracy theories before Aaron growled and palmed the healthy side of his face.  
"Wait, no, that didn't come out right, I-"

Billy shook his head with a smile. "It's ok. Slow down and think about it. I'll get you something to drink."

Aaron nodded and settled more comfortably on his bed. Billy closed the door behind him and then finally let out a sigh. He leaned against the wall, brows set in a frown. His fists were clenched at his sides and he forced himself to take deep breaths. Being in that state himself - something he's done too many times to count - was one thing. This? This was-

"Billy?" He heard Teddy whisper and instantly looked up at him. Teddy was standing at the door to Billy's room and looked at him nervously. Billy's chest tightened as a result. He refrained from talking there, though, and instead motioned for Teddy to walk with him as he made his way to the kitchen.

"So it's bad, huh." The blond asked uncertainly and leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. Billy glanced at him before turning to rummage through the fridge, a tiny smile rising to his lips despite it all. Teddy seemed so awkward and out of his element, but still there he was, willing to help and offer support. Billy figured the least he could do was properly pick his words.

"It seems like it, yes." He replied finally when he pulled out the box of juice he was looking for.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Teddy asked and shifted his weight from foot to foot. Billy poured the juice into a glass and shook his head.

"Not right now. But..." He replaced the container in the fridge before offering Teddy a somewhat helpless smile. "Be there when it's over?"  
He had a hand on his shoulder and another on his cheek before Teddy leaned forward to kiss his forehead.

"You know it."

Billy stayed still for a while, relishing Teddy's scent and warmth, drawing strength from his presence. He then ran a hand down Teddy's front before carrying the glass back to Aaron's room. Aaron was roughly where Billy left him, and he accepted the drink with the shadow of a smile.

"Thanks."

"We need to tell dad to get more, we're almost out." Billy said matter of factly and glanced at his brother. Aaron was staring quite intently at his drink and brushed his thumb back and forth over the glass. For a while Billy was afraid the boy'd bottle it all up again, would refuse to talk, but then he did, though Billy needed to strain to hear him.

"It was during a debate, I don't even remember how we got to it, but the whole topic of gay rights came up."

Billy felt a lump forming in his throat. This was never a good set-up for a story.

"Of course, as soon as we got to that, everyone started yelling for and against, and I-" Aaron stopped and looked frustrated with himself.

"You yelled louder?" Billy asked softly.

"What was I supposed to do?" Aaron objected. "Just let them get away with it?! 'All gays are criminal, pedo-rapists...'" He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "What are they on?! Don't they know Wiccan and Hulkling?!"

Billy blinked, his brows climbing over his forehead. To hear his and Teddy's code-names given the context was a bit overwhelming.

"How can they say they're criminals?! They're heroes! Who cares they're together, they're awesome! Hulkling's really strong and cool looking, and Wiccan can control lightning and stuff!"

"And stuff..." Billy grumbled but let it slide before long, instead giving his brother a warm look. He never knew the boy felt this strongly about his and Teddy's alter-egos, and had to admit this was a pleasant surprise.

"And you." Aaron said then, drawing Billy's attention back to him.

"Me?" He asked. Aaron sighed.

"You're too much of a wuss to get off the straight and narrow at all, let alone be a criminal. Er, pun not intended."

Billy huffed, but couldn't even retort as Aaron continued, once again looking deflated.  
"You're a good guy. Teddy is, too. How can they say stuff like that without even knowing you?"

Billy found himself smiling. Of course, he hated to see his brother like that, and wished he could take all this pain away from him. And yet at the same time he felt his chest swelling with pride and joy and gratitude.  
Gently he put his hand on Aaron's shoulder.

"Thank you", he said and carefully squeezed the boy's shoulder. Aaron looked at him with some confusion, and Billy snickered. "For standing up for me. And for Teddy. It means a lot."

Aaron looked a mixture of happy and bashful before looking down.  
"You're my brother. No one gets to talk about you like that other than Daniel and me."

"Well that's a relief!" Billy admitted with a laugh. It was shared only briefly before Aaron fell quiet again. Billy gave him a moment before nodding.

"Need anything?"

"For you and Teddy to beat them up...? You're both bigger, and Teddy's really strong, like, really..." He looked ashamed of himself not ten seconds after he said that. Billy tried to come to terms with the request, and had to admit it was alluring. And yet he knew well why he mustn't agree. So instead, he rested his hand on Aaron's head and gently ruffled his hair.

"We could, but... I'm afraid that'll make us not as good anymore."

"Yeah... I guess."

Billy looked away before smiling reassuringly.  
"I can help you get those cuts and bruises cleaned and bandaged, though. And I can be there when you talk to mom and dad about this."

The sound of that made Aaron hunch his shoulders and he looked at Billy almost pleadingly.  
"Yes, please."

Billy snickered and got up to his feet.  
"C'mon, then. Let's get you cleaned up."

"Pfft, mother hen."

"Don't make me hurt you when you're already down." Billy huffed, but grinned just the same before wrapping his arm around Aaron's shoulders.

"You're going to be fine."

"Like you?"

"I like to think I'm not that bad...?"

Aaron hummed thoughtfully.  
"Well, you're no Young Avenger... but I guess you're ok."

Billy kept that quirked brow to himself.


End file.
